10 Things to Keep Your Hybrid Vehicle in Top Shape for the Winter

Don't let the winter season catch you off guard. During the cold, winter months, keep your hybrid vehicle running smoothly and efficiently. We've prepared 10 things every hybrid car owner should do in order to keep their cars performing well during the winter season.

1. Vehicle Winterization

Have your hybrid car ready for winter driving exactly the same way you’d have a winterization for a non-hybrid car. Begin the process with an inspection of the condition of several important things, such as anti-freeze, oil and filter, tire pressure, and engine performance. Make sure you follow the specifications that are suggested in your owner’s manual and have regular meetings with your local auto repair technician.

2. Grill Insulation

When the temperature outside is extremely cold, some hybrid owners suggest a “blocking” of the hybrid’s front grill. Cut sections of foam pipe insulation in order to fit the pieces inside the grill, thus preserving the fuel economy. You can even use old pool noodles rather than purchasing new pipe insulation. You may want to block both the top and bottom grill, depending on the degree of cold you experience, and the make and model of your vehicle. For warm weather driving “blocking” is not recommended.

3. Lose Some Weight

If you don’t have a hybrid vehicle, you most likely have a front-wheel drive on your hybrid sedan. That’s considered a bonus during the winter. However, if you are carrying too much weight in your car, you’ll lose the advantage of front-wheel drive. That’s why you have to lose all unnecessary things. It’s better to clear a place for them in your garage. Having extra weight means you are closer to the ground when the road conditions are icy or snowy.

4. Snow Tires

You definitely need snow tires, if you live in a climate that gets a substantial amount of snow during the winter. You’ll see that having snow tires on your vehicle will provide you with better control and handling during the winter months. Remember to have your tire depth tread checked regularly during the season.

5. Keep Your Car Clean

The winter season is anything but a friend to hybrid vehicles, especially, the snow and ice that build up in your undercarriage. As part of your winter hybrid maintenance, hybrid owners recommend regular washing during the winter. By performing that, you’ll get rid of the unwanted snow and ice and also have a generally good appearance.

6. Defrost the Windows

Use some of the battery power of your hybrid car to not only heat your cabin and the seats during those cold winter days but also to use your defroster. In order to preserve as much battery power as possible, make sure you have top-quality windshield wipers that will help you in brushing away the heavy snow.
In the end, you just need to run the defroster long enough to start melting what’s left. Your warm cabin will complete the job from there.

7. Warm the Interior of Your Car

Like all types of vehicles, hybrid vehicles also need attention during the winter season. Warm the interior of your vehicle, while plugged in. Known as a “preconditioning,” this unique feature of hybrid cars automatically heats or cools the cabin before you start driving. The driver only has to program the day, time and temperature and leave the rest to the car. However, keep in mind that if you notice that your car is blowing cold air, you should have it serviced as soon as possible.

8. Heating Your Car Seats

The first thing you need to consider heating are the car seats. If you are in a hurry and have no time to wait for the cabin preconditioning to kick in, having a warm back and backside is the answer to having a comfortable ride. If your car is not warm enough, make sure you check the cabin air filter for better heat flow.

9. Fuel Economy Improvement

The cold winter weather is the biggest threat to your car’s fuel economy. If you wish to have a good fuel economy, make sure you warm your car’s engine before departure. Moreover, you need to take full advantage of your instruments and keep an eye on your speedometer. If you drive a little slower, you could save some money. Last but not least, watch your car’s thermometer in order to keep your fuel consumption at low levels.

10. Stay Plugged In

The best feature of your hybrid car is the battery, so take a good care of it at all times. You must remember to always keep your vehicle plugged in, regardless of the charge. By doing so, you’ll be guaranteed to go the distance prior to needing fuel, whenever you are ready to go.

Get link

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Google+

Email

Other Apps

Get link

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Google+

Email

Other Apps

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We all know that child car safety is quite simple, provided that you follow a couple of simple steps. The first thing you need to do is to fit child restraints correctly and make sure you always buckle your kids into them correctly. In addition, it's equally important to seat your kids appropriately so that you can avoid any fighting between them and keep them happy while on the road.

Child Restraint Basics
The first item related to child car safety that we're going to look into is the child restraint. It's an absolute must for children aged up to 7 years to travel in a child restraint. You must remember to always choose, properly fit, and use the right child restraint suitable for your child's age and size. Once your kid's shoulders reach higher than the upper shoulder height marker seen on child restraints, your kid will be ready to move to a bigger child restraint.

Seatbelts
You can set a great example for your kids if you start wearing your own seatbelt on regul…

The rise of the automotive industry in Kansas City
Kansas City is officially the nation's second-largest auto hub. City’s long history of auto production dates back to 1913 when Henry Ford made a decision to choose this region to be the first one outside of Detroit for auto production. The most recent expansion of Ford Motor Co. in this particular area was in 2011. At that time, the company announced a $1.2 billion investment that was meant to expand and retool Kansas City Assembly Plant, which is located in Claycomo. This plant is responsible for manufacturing the Transit and the F-150 full-size van.

Ford has a strong and steady relationship with area school districts which are part of the company’s Next Generation Learning initiative. Launched in 2006, that initiative provides mentoring, technical support, coaching, and financial support to 20 communities around the country.

4 Signs That Indicate Your BMW is in Need of Tune-Up
Whether you drive a vintage, late-model or brand-new BMW, remember that at some point, your car will be in need of a tune-up service. Although modern cars don't need frequent servicing like the old models, it's still very important to service your BMW according to your owner's manual in order to avoid any serious problems in the long run. Basically, this means that if you drive a newer model. you have to schedule a tune-up every 30,000 miles, and if you own an older model, you have to do it every 10,000 to 20,000 miles.

Apart from the routine maintenance services, you also have to look out for these 4 common signs that indicate your BMW is in need of a tune-up.

Difficulties When Starting Your Car
When the engine of your car does not turn over, this is mainly due to a malfunction of ignition, battery, or fuel pump. This is not a serious issue and an expert auto technician would easily diagnose it. If your BMW takes some t…